Device for the dispersion of gas in a liquid



July 23, 1957 E. c. GRIESBACH DEVICE 03 THE DISPERSION OF GAS IN A LIQUID Original Filed April 16, 1952 2 Sheelas-Sheet 1 July 23,1957 E. GRIESBACH 2,800,315

DEVICE FOR THE DISPERSION OF GAS IN A LIQUID Original Filed April 16. 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 6M; 2% z c4 10 DEVICE not: THE DISPERSION on GAS IN A LIQUID Edwin c. Griesbach, La Grange, Iii.

Continuation, of abandoned application Serial No. 282,661, April16, 1952. This application ()ctoher 4, 1954, Serial'No. 460,011

3 Claims. (Cl.'261-'-87) This application is a continuation of my co-pending patent application Serial No. 282,661, filed April 16, 1952, now abandoned, for, Device for the Dispersion of Gas in a Liquid.

The present invention relates to the treatment of liquids with gases.

Many'forms of apparatus are now in commercial use for the dispersion of gas in a liquid and these accomplish gasdispersi-on at various'speeds of rotation and degrees of efficiency. After years of study and experimentation relative to the problems of gas'dispersion in a liquid the applicant has met with the most eflicient results'in the use of the present invention. While other methods such as the use of minutely porous 'unglazed ceramic material may make possible a smaller bubble formation; the herein 'described device attains this desirable result to the highest degree relative to the power required.

The chief object of this invention is to reduce the power cost for the introduction of gas into a body of liquid and therein longer retain the resulting small gas bubbles by the rotation of the gas containing liquid These desirable features are attainable with the present invention at a rotary peripheral speed of less than five hundred feet per minute and with a gas supply at atmospheric pressure.

Additional objects, features and advantages of the invention disclosed herein will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after the construction and operation are understood from the within description and, more particularly as pointed out in the appended claims.

After a full study of the present invention it will be apparent that the introduction of gas into the liquid is largely effected by suction resulting from the centrifugalized liquid jetting from the series of angulately arranged liquid-conducting tubes.

The present invention is one of general applicability, being suitable for processing a great variety of liquids with many forms of gases and I contemplate either continuous or batch procedure. A liquid containing finely divided solid material in suspension is practically a liquid and can be handled in the same manner as true liquids; and for convenience, I shall herein classify such materials as liquids without reference to whether the gas is intended to react with the liquid itself or with components of the process suspended in the liquid and it is contemplated to apply my herein described invention for gas dispersion in such liquid.

When the device is operated at a sufiiciently reduced rotational velocity to necessitate a gas supply at a superatmospheric pressure it is contemplated to introduce this gas supply at pressures not substantially in excess of that which is necessary to overcome the hydraulic pressure at the points of gas entry into the liquid treated. This, quite obviously, makes possible a smaller bubble formation, thereby effecting a saving in the volume of gas required. Some of the reasons for gas economy when reducing gas bubble size can be more fully understood if we regard a bubble as a sphere and realize that when doubling the diameter of a sphere we increase its volume atent eight fold but increase the surface of the sphere only four fold and also consider that a small bubble remains ina liquid for a longer period of time which results in an increased duration of their contact. V I Several advantages relating to the present invention are listed as follows:

Firstly, low power cost for operation; Secondly, economy of construction and maintenance; Thirdly; at atmospheric pressure, there is provided a selfcontained aeration device;

Fourthly; formation of very small bubbles without the use of greatly reduced apertures;

Fifthly; rotation of'the body of liquid results in an increased duration of g as contact with the liquid; v,

Sixthly; a means to partially control the duration of gas contact with the liquid by varying the rotational speed of the device;

Seventhly; low gas pressure requirement'reduces or totally eliminates heat produced by the generally used gas compressors and M Eighthly; a means for breaking clumps which may form during a process; I

It should be understood that, the important feature of the present invention resides in combining rotatable liquid-conducting tubes located at points outwardly spaced from a central tubular rotatable shaft which are arranged so as to centrifugalize a liquid through them when being rotated with sufiicient velocity in a body of liquid, with well known means for rotating the device and introducing gas into jets of liquid produced by the liquid-conducting tubes and, also, it should be understood that the drawings accompanying this application are more or less of a schematic character for the purpose of illustrating and disclosing preferred forms of the improvements contemplated herein and in these drawings like reference characters identify the parts in the several views.

Inthe accompanying drawings in which there are shown preferred embodiments'of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the lower part of the vessel and rotary shaft.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal cross section above the impeller.

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 represent four separate modifications of the dispersion tubes at 6 which are suitable for conducting liquid therethrough and the manner of attaching them to the radial gas-supply means at 5. 9 merely designates the inlet openings for the passage of liquid through the dispersion tubes 6 and these openings may be slightly smaller than the remaining liquid-conduction passage of the tubes 6 so as to prevent their becoming clogged and/ or to allow space for the entrance of gas from the orifices 11 in arrangements such as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The numerals 10 point to the liquid outlet openings of the tubes 6 which are located at points farthest from the gas'supply conduit at 5. At 11 are orifices which. are suitably disposed to communicate with the gas-supply tubes 5 and channel gas into jets of liquid which result from the conduction of liquid through the dispersion tubes 6 and it is notable that in Figs. 4 and 5 gas is introduced into the liquid at points close to the radial gas-supply means 5 while in Figs. 3 and 6 gas is introduced into jets of the liquid at points outwardly further from the radial gas-supply tubes 5 by being channeled through the annular chambers 12 which are provided by the sleeves at 8. In Figs. 3 and 6 the annular chambers 12 are closed at the ends closest to the rotatable tubular shaft. In Fig. 3 the chambers 12 are also closed at the ends farth st from the gas-supply means and at 7 are apertures which serve to laterally introduce gas from the chambers 12 into a liquid passing outwardly through the dispersion tubes 6.

Any material may be used for the construction of the mechanism which will give the desired qualities thereto and be favorable to the particular process with which it is to be used.

While I have illustrated preferred embodiments of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but wish to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A device for the dispersion of gas in a body of liquid comprising a rotatable tubular shaft normally positioned substantially vertically and the hollow of said shaft being closed adjacent to its lower end, radial gas-supply conduits positioned near the lower end of said tubular shaft and so that the hollow of the conduits adjoin the hollow of said shaft, and a bank of dispersion tubes positioned at the outer extremity of said gas-supply conduits and at approximately a 45 degree angle with respect to the axis thereof, and with the leading ends of said tubes substan tially nearer the axis of rotation of said tubularshaft and tapered to present a maximum area of the tubular passageway to liquid to be intercepted for centrifugal conduction therethrough, and said dispersion tubes having a sleeve positioned lengthwise around the tubes and spaced therefrom so as to provide an annular chamber being open at the end farthest from the axis of rotation of said tubular shaft, and an aperture through the wall of said sleeve being disposed adjacent to said gas-supply conduits, and also an aperture through the wall of said gas-supply conduits being disposed so as to adjoin said aperture through the wall of said sleeve.

2. A device for the dispersion of gas in a body of liquid comprising a rotatable tubular shaft normally positioned substantially vertically and the hollow of said shaft being closed adjacent to it lower end, radial gas-supply conduits positioned near the lower end of said tubular shaft and so that the hollow of the conduits adjoin the hollow of said shaft, and a bank of dispersion tubes positioned at the outer extremity of said gas-supply conduits and at approximately a 45 degree angle with respect to the axis thereof, and with the leading ends of said tubes substantially nearer the axis of rotation of said tubular shaft and tapered to present a maximum area of the tubular passageway to liquid to be intercepted for centrifugal conduction therethrough, and said dispersion tubes having a sleeve positioned lengthwise around the tubes and spaced therefrom so as to provide an annular chamber with an aperture through the wall of said sleeve being disposed adjacent to said gas-supply conduits, and a series of orifices through the wall of said dispersion tubes disposed so that they encircle the tubes at points adjacent to the ends thereof which are farthest from the axis of rotation of said tubular shaft, and also an aperture through the wall of said gas-supply conduits being disposed so as to adjoin said aperture through the wall of said sleeve.

3. A device for the dispersion of gas in a body of liquid comprising a rotatable tubular shaft normally positioned substantially vertically and the hollow of said shaft being closed adjacent to its lower end, radial gas-supply conduits positioned near the lower end of said tubular shaft and so that the hollow of the conduits adjoin the hollow of said shaft, and a bank of dispersion tubes positioned at the outer extremity of said gas-supply conduits and at approximately a degree angle with respect to the axis thereof, and with the leading ends of said tubes substantially nearer the axis of rotation of said tubular shaft and tapered to present a maximum area of the tubular passageway to liquid to be intercepted for centrifugal conduction therethrough, and an aperture through the wall of said dispersion tubes being disposed adjacent to said gas-supply conduits, and also an aperture through the wall of said gas-supply conduits disposed so as to adjoin said aperture through the wall of said dispersion tubes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,242,445 Ittner Oct. 9, 1917 1,526,596 Greenawalt Feb. 17, 1925 1,726,125 Rowand Aug. 27, 1929 1,779,181 McDonald M Oct. 21, 1930 2,288,063 Ashlock June 30, 1942 

